Washing-machine



(No Model.)

J. DOUGHERTY. Washing Machine.

Patented April 19,1881.

N.PETERS, PHOTO'LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES DOUGHERTY, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,237, dated April 19, 1881.

Application filed August 26, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES DOUGHER'IY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Pleasant, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVashing-Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the special class of washing-machines in which two pressers or pounders are employed, working upon inclined surfaces.

The object of my invention is to furnish to the trade an improved washing-machine which shall be simple in construction, easily operated, and efi'ective in its operation of washing the clothes by alternate pressure and saturation, with a slight rubbing action.

Therefore, my invention consists in the combination, with a wash-box having a double inclined or slightly-curved bottom provided on its upper surface with rubbing-surfaces, of a pair of pressers of peculiar construction for rubbing and partially squeezing the clothes, and for giving the same a rolling motion, whereby new surfaces of the clothes are presented to the action of the pressers.

My invention also consists in the construction of parts and combination of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically claimed.

In the annexed drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of the machine, showing one of the side covers raised. Fig. 2 is a centrali longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the bottom, showing the arrangement of the slats constituting the rubbing-surface. Fig. 4 represents a detailed perspective and cross-sectional view of the rubber-presser. Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the turner-presser.

The letter A represents an oblong rectangular box, mounted on four legs of sufficient length to raise the machine to a convenient (No model.)

height. This box is constructed with inclined end pieces, B B, so as to produce a double in"- cline, substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The inclined end pieces, B, are perfectly plain on their inner face, but the inclined pieces B are formed with rubbing-surfaces, substantially as shown in Fig. 3. In the present instance the rubbing-surface constituting the wash-board of the machineis composed of the central semicircular slats, a, and the diagonally-arranged semicircular slats c.

It will be observed, by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, that the semicircular slats 0 diverge in opposite directions from the central slats, a, the object of which is to cast the clothes outwardly from the center, and to obviate the difficulty of centering or banking the clothes.

Atthe base of the inclined pieces B B is formed a trough or channel, cl, which is separated from the interior of the machine by means of the metallic perforated plate 0. This chamber is for the purpose of receiving the sediment or other matter that is carried off from the clothes, where it settles, from whence it is carried oh by the removal of the plug e.

The sides of the box are provided with standards D, with bearings at their upper ends to receive the cross-bar E of the equal-armed lever or walking-beam F, through which the pressers are operated. To the lower side of this lever F are pivotally attached the upper ends of the arms or bars H, in such a manner that the said bars or arms may be permitted to work and conform to the inclined rubbingsurfaces of the washing-chamber. These bars or arms, which pass down into the box, are provided at their lower ends with pressers I and K, made of such a length as to extend across the width of the box. The presser I is termed in this specification a rubber, and the presser K is termed a turner, which diifer very much in mechanical construction. The rubber-presser I, of a triangular shape in crosssection, is formed on its under side with a series of corrugations, e, at the forward portion, a concave portion, f, and the downward-extended enlarged portion h at the rear end, as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The turnerpresser K is similar in outline to a right-angled triangle in cross section, (see Fig. 5,) the smaller endbeing at the forward portion, with IOO its upper face or the surface next to the clothes fluted or corrugated. These corrugations are of such a shape and character that they will gripe and hold the clothes and turn them over during the mow'ement of the presser to the opposite side of the box for the rubber-presser. The rubber-presser having the concavedshaped recess will now receive and hold the clothes in the concave portion of the face, and as the presser is moved downward it carries the clothes therewith in advance, rubbing them with a gentle pressure on the tluted surface of the wash-board, and in drawing the presser back the other presser comes down on the slides or guides under the clothes and turns the top side down under the water. This operation is continued until the clothes are Washed, when the soiled-water is removed and clean water substituted, and by a few strokes more of the pressers the clothes are completely rinsed. The outerends of the pressers are cut away and curved, as seen at i, for the purpose of fitting and working on the side tracks arranged above the wash-board.

The letter M represents the divided hinged cover with elongated slots for the passage and movement of the arms extending downwardly from the walking-beam. This cover will prevent the splashing of the water.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a washing-machine, the rubber-presser I, provided on its under side or surface with a series of corrugations, e, a concave portion,f, and a downward-extended enlarged portion, h, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a wash-box having a double inclined or slightly-curved bottom provided on its upper surface with rubbingsurfaces, the rubber I and turner K, of the construction described, for rubbing and partially squeezing the clothes, and giving the same a rolling motion, for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3. The improved washingmaehine, consisting essentially, of a wash-box having inclined or curved rubbing surfaces, the journaled walking-beam F, with the suspended pressers I and K, of the construction described, having alternating motion, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DOUGH ERTY.

Witnesses W. 1. 13-01313, JNo. S. WooLsoN. 

